Garment stretcher



Aug. 15, am H. L. NEEDLES HAL 2,519,276

GARMENT STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 16, .194?

Inventors Hewry L. sad/es Esfei/e Parke? 0700!? ieys Patented Aug. 15, 1950 GARMENT STRETCHER Henry L. Needles,

West Hartford, and Estelle Parker OToole, Wethersfield, Conn. Application July 16, 1947, Serial No. 761,234

6 Claims. (01. 223-61) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in garment stretchers, and more particularly to an extensible body for insertion in a garment and adjustable to a desired size in accordance with the size of the garment to be stretched, and the invention has for its primary object to provide means for securing the parts of the body in its adjusted position without requiring the use of metal securing means or other metal parts which might have a tendency to rust, or which leave a mark or impression in the garment when stretched thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for easily and quickly adjusting the parts of the device and holding the same in their adjusted position without requiring the use of special tools'for that purpose.

A still'further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the device constructed for use as a stocking stretcher;

Figure 2 is a group perspective view showing the parts of the stretcher separated;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional on a line 3-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a garment hanger embodying the present invention;

Figure 5 is a group perspective view of the several parts of the garment hanger; and

Figures 6, 7 and 3 are fragmentary sectional views taken respectively on the lines 6-6, 1-1 and 8-8 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and first with respect to the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, the numeral 5 designates a stocking stretcher generally and which is constructed of a flat plastic body 8 or other suitable non-metallic material, the body including a foot portion 1 and a leg or ankle portion 8 which is inclined upwardly from the upper edge of the foot portion 1.

The foot portion 1 is formed with a pair of longitudinally extending rows of openings 9 which may be of square or rectangular shape view taken and one surface of the foot portion 1 is formed with a plurality of spaced parallel, longitudinally extending ribs 10. t I

A foot extension plate II is constructed of substantially oval shape and is formed in one surface with a plurality of spaced parallel, longitudinally extending grooves l2 in which the ribs l6 are slidably received.

Also formed on the surface of the extension plate H with the grooves I2 are a pair of rows of locking lugs l3 of a shape corresponding to the shape ofthe openings 9 and adapted for selective insertion therein. Four of the lugs 13 are preferably provided and arranged with two of the lugs in each row, whereas a greater number of the openings 9 are provided so that the extension plate ll may at one side of the foot 1 and secured in its adjusted position by inserting the lugs [3 in a corresponding number of the aligned openings Q. The inneredge of each lug I3 is formed with a rearwardly projecting locking tongue I4 which is spaced above the surface of the extension plate it to slidably receive an adjacent portion 1 of the foot 1 thereunder, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, whereby to lock the foot 1 and extension plate H in confronting relation and to hold the extension plate II against inward sliding movement with respect to the foot 1.

Accordingly, by inserting the foot 1 and extension plate H in a stocking, the stocking will be held in a stretched position and against shrinking while drying on the stocking stretcher.

,In Figures 4 to 8, inclusive, the invention is shown constructed for use as a garment hanger which is generally designated at l5 and which includes a pair of confronting plates 16 and I1 shaped in accordance with the construction of a conventional garment hanger.

The opposed face of the plate I6 is provided with a plurality of horizontal ribs l8, while the opposed face of the plate 11 is formed with a corresponding number of grooves l9 in which the ribs l8 are slidably received.

The plate I6 is formed with a double row of horizontal openings 20, while the confronting face of the plate 11 is formed with a double pair of lugs 2i for selective engagement in the openings 20 and provided with the horizontally projecting locking tongues 22 under which an adjacent portion of the face [6 is received to hold the plate against contracting movement.

The upper portion of the plates l6 and I1 are formed with aligned openings 23 and 24, respectively.

be adjusted longitudinally I A hook 26 is constructed to include upper and ower hook members 2! and 28, the lower hook ember 28 being engaged in the slots 23 and 24 to provide a hanger for the plates I6 and I1.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the garment hanger l may be adjusted horizontally into an extended or retracted position and retained-,in.;its adjusted, position. by the interlocit'ingrlhg's; 2| to thus holdsthe shoulders device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is' accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however-,:tha t -eventhough there is herein shown and described a clear understanding of the V Havingd'escribed the'invention, what is claimed -as new is:

1. A garment stretcher comprising an extensible body including a pair'offlat confrontin sections, inter-fitting ribs and grooves on the confronting faces of the sections holding the sections in longitudinally alined position with each other, and means securing the sections to each other in adjusted extended position, said means comprising polygonal interlocking elements.

-2. A garment stretcher comprising an extensible body including a pair in adjusted extended position, said means comprising polygonal interlocking elements integrally formed with said sections.

3. A garment 4'; A' armen't stretcher comprising anex-tensible bodyincluding"apair of fiat confronting'sections slidable one against the other, interfitting ribs and grooves on the confronting faces of the sections holding the sections in longitudinally alined position with each other, one of said sections having a plurality of polygonal shaped openings, and complementary shaped lugs integrally formed with the other of said sections selectively received in said openings.

5. Atgarment stretcher comprising an extensible body including a pair of fiat confronting sections slidable one against the other, interfitting ribs and grooves on the confronting faces of the sections olding the sections in longitudinally alined position with each other, one of said sections havin a plurality of polygonal shaped openings, and complementary shaped lugs integrally formed with the other of said sections selectively received in said openings, said lugs including interlocking movement.

6. A garment stretcher'cor'nprising an extensible body including a pair of flat confronting sections slidable one against the other; interfitting ribs a'ndgrooves on the confronting faces of the sections holding the sections in longitudinally alined position with each other, one of said sections having a plurality of polygonal shaped openings, and complementary shaped lugs integrally formed with theother of said sections selectively received movement. HENRY L. NEEDLES. ESTELLE PARKER QTOOLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references-are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number. Name Date 529,600 Cook Nov. 20, 1894 561,806 McCoy June 9, 1896 639,728 Hillwig Dec. 26, 1899 761,803 Wickelberg June 7, 1904 932,756 Cazier Aug. 31, 1909 1,366,505 Shafiner Jan. 25, 1921 1,924,933 Johnson Aug. 29, 1933 1,925,468. Stetten Sept. 5, 1933 2,354,849 Causer Aug. 1, 1944 2,420,006 OHare vMay 6, 1947 2,453,183 Bersudsky Nov. 9, 1948 

